


Restless Spirits

by thisbluespirit



Category: Dracula (TV 1968)
Genre: F/F, F/M, For Science!, Ghosts, Humor, More of Van Helsing's Necromancy, Obscure and British Commentfest, Possession, Post-Canon, seances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 07:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14869193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisbluespirit/pseuds/thisbluespirit
Summary: Professor Van Helsing feels it is their duty to hold a séance, for science.  Needless to say, it doesn't go well.





	Restless Spirits

**Author's Note:**

  * For [calliopes_pen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/calliopes_pen/gifts).



> Written from a prompt from Callopes_pen in the Obscure & British Commentfest 2018.

It was for science, that was what the Professor insisted. If vampires existed, then who knew what else might? It was the duty of those who knew this to keep an open mind and investigate the matter.

“I don’t see why that means we should hold a séance,” said Dr Seward, who would in fact much rather have been left alone to forget that vampires existed if he could have chosen (even if he appreciated Van Helsing’s point). “It hardly sounds scientific to me. Whatever next?”

“Always an excellent question, John.”

Dr Seward gave a muted harrumph in reply, which Van Helsing took for consent, and then he looked with hope but more trepidation towards Mr and Mrs Harker. To his relief, they agreed.

“After all,” said Mina, “if it is possible to hear from the departed souls, I for one would be glad to receive reassurance about our dear Lucy.”

Dr Seward coughed, but sent a grateful look in her direction.

“Lucy?” said Jonathan, whose thoughts appeared to be elsewhere, although at least not wandering quite so far as they had been used to. He caught himself. “Oh, yes, of course. Poor Miss Weston.”

 

There seemed little point in delaying, so they tried their first experiment that evening, drawing the curtains and gathering around one table with a candle lit at its centre. Then they held hands and waited. And waited.

“I don’t think anything’s going to happen,” said Dr Seward, not quite hiding his relief. “Perhaps we should give it up? After all, even if there are such things as vampires, it doesn’t follow that every other supernatural creature is real. Or that it’s a good idea for us to try and summon them, even if they are.”

Van Helsing shushed him. “Be patient. Humour me a little while longer, if you will, I beg of you all.”

Silence fell again until, some time later, the darkness around them seemed to intensify. They felt its oppression before they noticed it. An icy draft stole into the room, causing Mina to shiver, and then the candle went out. Dr Seward caught his breath, but Van Helsing tightened his grip on his hand before he could panic and break the circle.

They heard a sound of rustling, as the cold wind swirled about the room, causing Dr Seward’s papers to shift on his desk and then cascade to the floor, followed by Van Helsing’s books of myths and folk tales.

Jonathan rose to his feet, suddenly, breaking the circle, and holding out his hands. “Behold!” he said. “I am reborn.”

“I think _not_ ,” said Van Helsing, also rising. “You will find I have already encircled the room with garlic – and I have holy water to hand. You see, I knew you would try to take advantage of this business, Count, but I did not know which one of the Harkers you still clung to. Now I do!”

“Jonathan,” Mina said, pulling back from the table and staring up at him. “So that was where the ring went! I thought I had merely dreamt it. No – perhaps I merely wished to believe that. Professor?”

Dr Seward blinked. “Eh? Professor? What’s going on?”

Van Helsing ignored his question, and flung the holy water across at Jonathan, even as he tried to back away. He screamed out and collapsed, writhing on the floor before he fell still.

“Jonathan!” said Mina, jumping up. She hesitated before kneeling at his side, however, glancing at the Professor first as to whether or not it was safe to touch her husband.

Van Helsing hurried over. “He should be free of the last of the creature now, I trust. Harker? What do you say?”

Jonathan opened his eyes. “Yes. I think I’m myself,” he said slowly. “Although who that is these days is a good question. For one moment, though – I felt –” He stopped. “Dark glory,” he said eventually, “and then –”

“Life,” said Van Helsing firmly. “Freedom from the curse.”

“I’ll try to think of it that way.”

Before anyone had time to do anything else, even to decide whether or not to try and resume or finish the séance, they felt another unseen presence within the room; this one only a light breeze, seeming to dispel some of the former darkness in its wake. Mina felt it like breath on her skin.

“Lucy,” she said, with a catch in her voice, and Dr Seward, sitting beside her in his chair, turned his head towards her.

Mina sat back down and took his hands, shaking a little. She felt her heart give a leap inside her as it had not since her friend’s death, or at least, not since that time in the garden. “Lucy? Truly?”

“I only wish,” ‘Lucy’ said, through Dr Seward, leaning forward, and kissing her cheek, “that we had done this in life and not only after.”

Mina closed her eyes and didn’t dare trust herself to speak, but she gave a tiny nod.

Dr Seward – or Lucy- pressed one final kiss to her lips, and laughed a little, before whatever had come into the room left it again, and only the four of them remained. Dr Seward pulled back in instant embarrassment, coughing and apologising.

“Please don’t,” she said, and then, turning to face the other two in case they had not understood, “it was Lucy.” She flickered a glance back to John. “She had one last word for the two of us – those she loved.”

Van Helsing took out a pen from his breast pocket. “Interesting. You felt no vampiric influence? You are sure?”

“Professor!” said Dr Seward in indignation, at the same moment as Mina denied it firmly.

“That’s your excuse for kissing my wife, is it?” said Jonathan.

Mina squeezed his arm. “Don’t be silly, darling. It was Lucy. I’m sure Dr Seward wouldn’t dream of trying it again – would you, John?”

John pushed back into his chair in alarm. “No, no. Of course not.”

“Hmm,” said Van Helsing. “Well, this has all been extremely fascinating. I see this kind of affair merits further investigation, although perhaps next time we should try a group not entirely composed of those touched by the mark of the vampire. John, you could help me arrange such a thing, yes?”

“Professor,” Dr Seward said, after staring at him, “absolutely not! This is the last time I shall ever have anything to do with any more of your – your damned black arts and your so-called experiments! Science indeed!”

Van Helsing was not listening. “Perhaps Tuesday, do you think?”


End file.
